1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to methods of preparing compositions and materials useful in electronic applications, and in particular, useful in radio frequency (RF) electronics.
2. Description of the Related Art
Magneto-dielectric materials are particularly useful in RF devices such as antennas, transformers, inductors, and circulators. Recent advances in magneto-dielectric materials are driven in part by the need to miniaturize high frequency antennas while maintaining desirable bandwidth, impedance, and low dielectric loss. It is also desirable to increase the upper frequency limit of an antenna, which is largely determined by the resonant frequency of the material used.
Hexagonal ferrites such as Z-phase barium cobalt ferrite (Ba3Co2Fe24O41), commonly abbreviated as Co2Z, are magneto-dielectric materials often used in high frequency antennas and other RF devices. To improve the performance characteristics of Co2Z and other hexagonal ferrites, prior art methods are largely focused on substituting certain chemical elements in Co2Z with others. For example, one such method involves doping Co2Z with small amounts of an alkali metal such as potassium (K), sodium (Na), or rubidium (Rb) to improve the magnetic permeability of the material at high frequencies, which in turn increases the useable frequency range. However, these chemical substitution solutions are met with moderate success. As such, there is a continuing need to improve the material properties and performance characteristics of magneto-dielectric materials such as Co2Z for RF applications.